In a contentious announcement on Thursday, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. declared that the United States would not endorse a United Nations declaration aimed at combating chronic diseases. He stated that the declaration failed to address what he considered “the most pressing health issues” and, more broadly, criticized the Trump administration’s stance against policies he claimed promoted abortion and “radical gender ideology.”
During his address to a U.N. gathering focused on preventing and treating chronic illnesses such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes, Mr. Kennedy offered no further details regarding the specific health concerns he felt were overlooked by the declaration.
Notably, the official U.N. declaration itself contains no explicit references to reproductive rights or gender ideology. While the term “gender” is present multiple times, its usage is strictly confined to discussions about health challenges uniquely affecting women.
Despite this significant opposition from the U.S., the declaration is still anticipated to receive overwhelming approval from the majority of the United Nations’ 193 member states this October.
This latest move comes after President Trump, a consistent critic of the U.N., previously initiated the U.S. withdrawal from the World Health Organization (WHO) earlier this year. That decision was based on allegations that the WHO mismanaged the coronavirus pandemic and failed to implement crucial reforms.
Public health experts expressed bewilderment and dismay at Mr. Kennedy’s comments, which were also shared on social media. They pointed out that many of the U.N.’s ambitious objectives for combating noncommunicable diseases appear to align closely with the Health Secretary’s own “Make America Healthy Again” initiative, which prioritizes chronic illness, childhood obesity, and the dangers of ultra-processed foods.
“The health secretary’s statements were unsettling, inaccurate, and deeply contradictory,” stated Paula Johns, executive director of ACT Health Promotion in Brazil, in an interview following Mr. Kennedy’s address. “He asserts a desire for international collaboration on chronic diseases but offers no pathway for such cooperation. Instead, he indicates the U.S. prefers to distance itself from the U.N. entirely.”
The declaration has garnered broad backing from global health specialists, even amidst criticism that some initial recommendations were diluted due to industry lobbying. These alterations involved removing proposals such as higher taxes and prominent warning labels aimed at curbing the consumption of tobacco, alcohol, and sugary drinks. In its final form, all direct mentions of sugary beverages were also omitted.
Interestingly, Mr. Kennedy’s depiction of the severe threat posed by chronic illnesses largely echoed the sentiments and urgency conveyed in the U.N. declaration itself.
“Chronic disease has seen a more than twofold increase within a single generation, leading to millions of children losing healthy years even before reaching adulthood,” Mr. Kennedy emphasized. “This crisis, unfortunately, knows no national boundaries.”
However, he asserted that the U.N. General Assembly had exceeded its jurisdiction, and that the U.S. could not endorse any initiatives perceived to promote abortion or “gender ideology.”
“Our belief lies in the biological reality of sex,” Mr. Kennedy stated, echoing President Trump’s sentiment: “Global bureaucrats have absolutely no right to infringe upon the sovereignty of nations committed to protecting innocent life.”
The Department of Health and Human Services did not provide a response when asked for clarification regarding Mr. Kennedy’s claims that certain health issues were overlooked in the declaration.
Health experts warned that abandoning the U.N. process would only exacerbate U.S. isolation on critical global health challenges. They noted that the White House has already taken a singular stance against reducing greenhouse-gas emissions, a position recently highlighted during international discussions on accelerating climate change efforts.
“The U.S. appears to be attempting to undermine this process, but we doubt they can succeed,” commented Alison Cox, policy director at the NCD Alliance, an advocacy group. “This approach is remarkably shortsighted and irresponsible, especially in the midst of an urgent global crisis.”
Ms. Cox emphasized that the current declaration emerged from a months-long negotiation process involving civil society organizations, health experts, and representatives from member states. “It may not be perfect, but it nonetheless represents a significant milestone for global health,” she concluded.
Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the Director-General of the WHO, has consistently championed strong actions to combat noncommunicable diseases, which contribute to an alarming 17 million premature deaths annually.
Recently, Dr. Tedros has been spearheading another WHO initiative, urging nations to impose a 50 percent tax increase on tobacco, alcohol, and sugary drinks within the next decade. He projects that these taxes could generate an estimated $1 trillion for government healthcare systems over ten years, potentially averting 50 million premature deaths over a 50-year period.
“Health’s origins are not in clinics and hospitals,” Dr. Tedros remarked just before Mr. Kennedy’s presentation. “It begins in our homes, schools, streets, and workplaces—influenced by the food we eat, the products we use, the water we drink, the air we breathe, and the environments where we live and work.”